Image processing method and apparatus

ABSTRACT

In an image processing method, predetermined processing is performed with respect to a plurality of image signals, each of which is appended with grouping information representing that image signals appended with identical grouping information represent images associated with one another. In cases where the predetermined processing is performed with respect to a specific image signal, the predetermined processing is also performed with respect to all of image signals, which are appended with the same grouping information as the grouping information appended to the specific image signal. The predetermined processing may be image processing performed on the image signal or a processing for altering subsidiary information appended to the image signal.

CROSS-REFERENCED TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 09/568,047 filed on May10, 2000, in the United States Patent and Trademark Office. The entiredisclosure of the prior application Ser. No. 09/568,047 is consideredpart of the disclosure of the accompanying continuation application andis hereby incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to an image processing method and apparatus,wherein processing for altering image processing and/or subsidiaryinformation appended to an image signal is performed with respect to aplurality of image signals, which represent images associated with oneanother. This invention also relates to a recording medium, on which aprogram for causing a computer to execute the image processing methodhas been recorded and from which the computer is capable of reading theprogram.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Images of objects, such as patients, have heretofore been recorded withimage input modalities, such as computed radiography (CR) apparatuses,computed tomography (CT) scanners, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)apparatuses. An image signal representing the thus recorded image isutilized for reproducing a visible image and displaying it on a monitor.A medical doctor can make a diagnosis of an illness by referring to thevisible image displayed on the monitor. In such cases, a plurality ofimages associated with one another, e.g. the images of a single patientor the images having been recorded in a single examination, may bedisplayed together on the monitor, and the medical doctor can make adiagnosis of an illness by seeing the displayed images.

When an image signal is generated by an image input modality, groupinginformation, such as the name of the patient, the examination number,the series number within an identical examination number, the date ofexamination, and/or identification (ID) information, is appended to theimage signal. Therefore, by the utilization of the ID informationappended to each of image signals, a plurality of image signals can beassociated with one another and grouped in accordance with the name ofthe patient, the examination number, the series number within anidentical examination number, and/or the date of examination.

In cases where a visible image is to be reproduced from an image signaland displayed on a monitor, image processing, such as gradationprocessing, processing in the frequency domain, or color transformprocessing, is often performed on the image signal. In such cases, theimage signal to be subjected to the image processing is selected on themonitor, and the image processing is performed on the selected imagesignal. However, in cases where the same image processing as that havingbeen performed on a certain image signal is to be performed also on allof the other image signals of the group, to which the certain imagesignal belongs, it has heretofore been necessary that all of the otherimage signals of the group, to which the certain image signal belongs,are selected successively on the monitor, and the image processing isperformed on each of the successively selected image signals. With theconventional technique, considerable time and labor are required toperform the processing in this manner.

Also, when the grouping information is inputted in an image inputmodality, it often occurs that, with respect to an image signalbelonging to a certain group, grouping information belonging to adifferent group is given by mistake. Further, it often occurs that anincorrect file name is given by mistake to an image signal. In suchcases, the image signal, which has been assigned with the incorrectgrouping information or the incorrect file name, must be found out, andprocessing for altering the grouping information or the file name mustbe performed on the image signal. However, if the grouping informationor the file name must be altered in this manner, considerable time andlabor will be required to find out the image signal.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary object of the present invention is to provide an imageprocessing method, wherein processing is capable of being performedeasily with respect to image signals representing images associated withone another.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus forcarrying out the image processing method.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a recordingmedium, on which a program for causing a computer to execute the imageprocessing method has been recorded and from which the computer iscapable of reading the program.

The present invention provides a first image processing method, whereinpredetermined processing is performed with respect to a plurality ofimage signals, each of which is appended with grouping information,wherein the image signals appended with identical grouping informationrepresent images associated with one another, the method comprising thesteps of:

in cases where the predetermined processing is performed with respect toa specific image signal, performing the predetermined processing withrespect to all of image signals, which are appended with the samegrouping information as the grouping information appended to thespecific image signal.

The term “grouping information” as used herein means the information,with which the image signals are capable of being classified into agroup for each patient name, each examination number, or the like, suchas the name of the patient, the examination number, the series numberwithin an identical examination number, the date of examination, and/oran ID number appended to the image signal, which are appended to theimage signal when, for example, the image signal is generated.

In the first image processing method in accordance with the presentinvention, the predetermined processing may be image processingperformed on the image signal. Alternatively, the predeterminedprocessing may be a processing for altering subsidiary informationappended to the image signal.

The term “subsidiary information appended to an image signal” as usedherein means the information, such as the grouping information describedabove, the file name of the image signal, and the image processinginformation, which gives specifics about image processing and isappended to the image signal.

The present invention also provides a second image processing method,comprising the steps of:

i) selecting a specific image signal from a plurality of image signals,each of which is appended with grouping information, wherein the imagesignals appended with identical grouping information represent imagesassociated with one another,

ii) selecting at least one predetermined piece of information from thepieces of information constituting the grouping information appended tothe specific image signal,

iii) selecting all of image signals, which are appended with the samepiece of information as the predetermined piece of information havingbeen selected from the pieces of information constituting the groupinginformation appended to the specific image signal, from the plurality ofthe image signals, and

iv) performing processing on all of the image signals having thus beenselected, the processing being performed for reflecting subsidiaryinformation, which is appended to the specific image signal, on theimage signals.

In the second image processing method in accordance with the presentinvention, as the predetermined piece of information, only one piece ofinformation, which is among the pieces of information constituting thegrouping information, may be selected. Alternatively, a plurality ofpieces of information, which are among the pieces of informationconstituting the grouping information, may be selected as thepredetermined piece of information.

The present invention further provides a first image processingapparatus, comprising processing means for performing predeterminedprocessing with respect to a plurality of image signals, each of whichis appended with grouping information, wherein the image signalsappended with identical grouping information represent images associatedwith one another,

wherein the processing means operates such that, in cases where theprocessing means performs the predetermined processing with respect to aspecific image signal, the processing means also performs thepredetermined processing with respect to all of image signals, which areappended with the same grouping information as the grouping informationappended to the specific image signal.

In the first image processing apparatus in accordance with the presentinvention, the predetermined processing may be image processingperformed on the image signal. Alternatively, the predeterminedprocessing may be a processing for altering subsidiary informationappended to the image signal.

The present invention still further provides a second image processingapparatus, comprising:

i) means for selecting a specific image signal from a plurality of imagesignals, each of which is appended with grouping informationrepresenting that image signals appended with identical groupinginformation represent images associated with one another,

ii) means for selecting at least one predetermined piece of informationfrom the pieces of information constituting the grouping informationappended to the specific image signal,

iii) means for selecting all of image signals, which are appended withthe same piece of information as the predetermined piece of informationhaving been selected from the pieces of information constituting thegrouping information appended to the specific image signal, from theplurality of the image signals, and

iv) means for performing processing on all of the image signals havingthus been selected, the processing being performed for reflectingsubsidiary information, which is appended to the specific image signal,on the image signals.

The present invention also provides a recording medium, on which aprogram for causing a computer to execute the first image processingmethod in accordance with the present invention has been recorded andfrom which the computer is capable of reading the program.

The present invention further provides a recording medium, on which aprogram for causing a computer to execute the second image processingmethod in accordance with the present invention has been recorded andfrom which the computer is capable of reading the program.

With the first image processing method and apparatus in accordance withthe present invention, when the predetermined processing is performedwith respect to the specific image signal, the same predeterminedprocessing is also performed with respect to all of image signals, whichare appended with the same grouping information as the groupinginformation appended to the specific image signal. Therefore, in caseswhere the same processing is to be performed with respect to all of theimage signals, which are appended with the same grouping information, itis unnecessary that the image signals are selected one after another andthe processing is performed successively with respect to the selectedimage signals. Accordingly, the predetermined processing can beperformed easily and efficiently with respect to the image signals.

With the second image processing method and apparatus in accordance withthe present invention, the specific image signal is selected from theplurality of the image signals. At least one predetermined piece ofinformation is selected from the pieces of information constituting thegrouping information appended to the specific image signal. Also, all ofimage signals, which are appended with the same piece of information asthe predetermined piece of information having been selected from thepieces of information constituting the grouping information appended tothe specific image signal, are selected from the plurality of the imagesignals. Thereafter, the subsidiary information, which is appended tothe specific image signal, is reflected upon all of the image signalshaving thus been selected.

When the subsidiary information, such as the grouping information, thename of file, and/or the image processing information, is appended toimage signals, it may occur that different subsidiary information isappended by mistake to certain image signals, which are among the imagesignals belonging to the same group. In such cases, it is necessary foroperations to be performed for finding out the image signals appendedwith the incorrect subsidiary information and correcting the subsidiaryinformation appended to the image signals. However, it may occur thatincorrect subsidiary information is inputted at the time of thecorrection or necessary correction is not made perfectly. However, asfor the grouping information appended to image signals, if an incorrectpiece of information is given by mistake among the pieces of informationconstituting the grouping information, it will not occur that all of theother pieces of information constituting the grouping information areincorrect. Therefore, with the second image processing method andapparatus in accordance with the present invention, an image signalappended with correct grouping information is selected as the specificimage signal, and the subsidiary information appended to the specificimage signal is reflected upon all of the image signals, which areappended with the same piece of information as the predetermined pieceof information having been selected from the pieces of informationconstituting the grouping information appended to the specific imagesignal. Accordingly, error in correction or imperfect correction do notoccur. Also, consistency of the subsidiary information can be obtainedeasily with respect to the image signals appended with the same groupinginformation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram showing a first embodiment of theimage processing apparatus in accordance with the present invention,

FIG. 2 is an explanatory view showing image signals grouped for eachpatient,

FIG. 3 is an explanatory view showing image signals grouped for eachpatient, each examination, and each series in each examination,

FIG. 4 is an explanatory view showing a different example of howgrouping information is appended,

FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing how the first embodiment of FIG. 1operates, and

FIG. 6 is a flow chart showing how a second embodiment of the imageprocessing apparatus in accordance with the present invention operates.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention will hereinbelow be described in further detailwith reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram showing a first embodiment of theimage processing apparatus in accordance with the present invention. Asillustrated in FIG. 1, the first embodiment of the image processingapparatus in accordance with the present invention comprises storagemeans 1 for storing image signals, and reading means 2 for reading imagesignals from the storage means 1. The image processing apparatus alsocomprises a monitor 3 for reproducing visible images from several imagesignals having been read by the reading means 2 from the storage means 1and displaying the reproduced images, and a memory 4 for temporarilystoring the image signals other than the several image signals, fromwhich the visible images can be reproduced simultaneously on the monitor3. The image processing apparatus further comprises input means 5, whichmay be constituted of a keyboard and a mouse device and from whichvarious pieces of information are inputted into the image processingapparatus. The image processing apparatus still further comprisesprocessing means 6 for performing image processing on image signals.

The image signals are generated by image input modalities (not shown),such as CR apparatuses, CT scanners, and MRI apparatuses. When the imagesignals are generated, information representing the name of the patient,the examination number, and the series number within the identicalexamination number is appended as grouping information to each of theimage signals. Therefore, as illustrated in FIG. 2, image signals can beclassified into a group for each patient. Also, as illustrated in FIG.3, the image signals representing the images of each patient can beclassified into a group for each examination. Further, the image signalsbelonging to the group for each examination can be classified into agroup for each series in one examination. Alternatively, the groupinginformation may be given in more detail for each patient, eachexamination, each series, and each image. For example, as illustrated inFIG. 4, as the grouping information for a patient, the name of thepatient, the patient ID number, the sex of the patient, and the date ofbirth of the patient may be appended. Also, as the grouping informationfor an examination, the examination ID number, the date of examination,the time of the examination, and the name of examination may beappended. Further, as the grouping information for an image, the imageID number and the image recording menu employed in the operation forrecording the image may be appended.

How the first embodiment of the image processing apparatus in accordancewith the present invention operates will be described hereinbelow withreference to FIG. 5. FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing how the firstembodiment of FIG. 1 operates. Firstly, in a step S1, an instruction isinputted from the input means 5 in order to reproduce visible images onthe monitor 3 from image signals, which represent the images of acertain patient and which are among the image signals stored in thestorage means 1. In a step S2, the reading means 2 receives theinstruction and reads all of the image signals, which are appended withthe grouping information containing the name of the patient, from thestorage means 1. In a step S3, the thus read image signals are fedthrough the memory 4 into the monitor 3, and the images represented bythe image signals are reproduced and displayed on the monitor 3. Themonitor 3 can display only a predetermined number of (e.g., five) imagesat one time. Therefore, the image signals other than the predeterminednumber of image signals, from which the visible images can be reproducedsimultaneously on the monitor 3, are kept temporarily stored in thememory 4.

In a step S4, in cases where image processing, such as gradationprocessing, processing in the frequency domain, or color transformprocessing, is to be performed on one of the images displayed on themonitor 3, an instruction for performing the image processing isinputted from the input means 5. In a step S5, the image processing isperformed on the image signal representing one of the images which aredisplayed on the monitor 3. At this time, in a step S6, an instructionfor performing the same image processing on the image signals, whichrepresent the images of the patient, is inputted from the input means 5.In a step S7, the same image processing is performed by the processingmeans 6 on all of the image signals, which are appended with thegrouping information containing the name of the patient, i.e. all of theimage signals having been read by the reading means 2 from the storagemeans 1, and processed image signals are thereby obtained. In caseswhere an instruction for performing the image processing on the imagesignals, which have been obtained in a certain examination of thepatient, is inputted from the input means 5, the image signals, whichare appended with the grouping information containing the examinationnumber corresponding to the certain examination, are extracted from theimage signals having been read by the reading means 2 from the storagemeans 1, and the image processing is performed on the thus extractedimage signals, the processed image signals being thereby obtained. Incases where an instruction for performing the image processing on theimage signals, which have been obtained in a certain series in a certainexamination of the patient, is inputted from the input means 5, theimage signals, which are appended with the grouping informationcontaining the series number corresponding to the certain series in thecertain examination, are extracted from the image signals having beenread by the reading means 2 from the storage means 1, and the imageprocessing is performed on the thus extracted image signals, theprocessed image signals being thereby obtained.

In a step S8, the visible images are reproduced from the thus obtainedprocessed image signals and displayed on the monitor 3. In a step S9,after confirmation is made by the operator, the processed image signalsare fed back to the storage means 1 and stored in the storage means 1.

As described above, in the first embodiment, when the image processingis performed on the image signal representing one of the imagesdisplayed on the monitor 3, the same image processing is also performedon the image signals corresponding to the same patient, the sameexamination number, and/or the same series number as that with respectto the image signals representing the images displayed on the monitor 3.Therefore, it is unnecessary to perform the image processingsuccessively on the respective image signals. Accordingly, the imageprocessing can be performed easily and efficiently on the image signalsappended with the same grouping information.

In the first embodiment described above, the image processing, which hasbeen performed on a certain image signal among the image signalsrepresenting the images displayed on the monitor 3, is also performed onthe image signals, which are appended with the same grouping informationas the grouping information appended to the certain image signal.However, in such cases, the images need not necessarily be displayed onthe monitor 3. Alternatively, an instruction for performing the sameimage processing on the image signals, which are appended with the samegrouping information, may be inputted from the input means 5, and theimage signals appended with the specified grouping information may thenbe read by the reading means 2 from the storage means 1. Thereafter, thesame image processing may be performed on the thus read image signals.

When the subsidiary information, such as the grouping information, thename of file, and/or the image processing information, is appended toimage signals in the image input modality, it may occur that differentsubsidiary information is appended by mistake to certain image signals,which are among the image signals belonging to the same group. However,as for the grouping information appended to image signals, if anincorrect piece of information is given by mistake among the pieces ofinformation constituting the grouping information, it will not occurthat all of the other pieces of information constituting the groupinginformation are incorrect. Therefore, in the first embodiment describedabove, when the subsidiary information is to be corrected with respectto a certain image signal having been appended with the incorrectsubsidiary information, an instruction for correcting the subsidiaryinformation with respect to all of the image signals, which are appendedwith the same grouping information as the grouping information appendedto the certain image signal, may be inputted from the input means 5. Inthis manner, the processing for correcting the subsidiary informationcan be performed efficiently.

A second embodiment of the image processing apparatus in accordance withthe present invention will be described hereinbelow. Basically, thesecond embodiment of the image processing apparatus in accordance withthe present invention has the same constitution as the first embodimentof the image processing apparatus in accordance with the presentinvention. In the second embodiment, a specific image signal is selectedwith the input means 5. In the processing means 6, all of image signals,which are appended with the same piece of information as a predeterminedpiece of information having been selected from the pieces of informationconstituting the grouping information appended to the specific imagesignal, are selected. Also, in the processing means 6, processing forreflecting the subsidiary information, which is appended to the specificimage signal, upon an image signal is performed on all of the imagesignals having thus been selected.

In the second embodiment, the input means 5 acts as the means forselecting a specific image signal from a plurality of image signals,each of which is appended with grouping information, wherein the imagesignals appended with identical grouping information represent imagesassociated with one another, the means for selecting at least onepredetermined piece of information from the pieces of informationconstituting the grouping information appended to the specific imagesignal, and the means for selecting all of image signals, which areappended with the same piece of information as the predetermined pieceof information having been selected from the pieces of informationconstituting the grouping information appended to the specific imagesignal, from the plurality of the image signals.

How the second embodiment operates will be described hereinbelow withreference to FIG. 6. FIG. 6 is a flow chart showing how the secondembodiment of the image processing apparatus in accordance with thepresent invention operates. Firstly, in a step S11, an instruction isinputted from the input means 5 in order to select a specific imagesignal from the image signals stored in the storage means 1. In a stepS12, the reading means 2 receives the instruction and selects thespecific image signal. In a step S13, an instruction is inputted fromthe input means 5 in order to select a predetermined piece ofinformation from the pieces of information constituting the groupinginformation appended to the specific image signal. In the step S13, aplurality of predetermined pieces of information may be selected fromthe pieces of information constituting the grouping information appendedto the specific image signal. Therefore, in a step S14, all of imagesignals, which are appended with the same piece of information as thepredetermined piece of information having been selected from the piecesof information constituting the grouping information appended to thespecific image signal, are read from the storage means 1. In a step S15,processing for reflecting the subsidiary information, which is appendedto the specific image signal, upon an image signal is performed by theprocessing means 6 on all of the image signals having thus been readfrom the storage means 1.

For example, in the step S13, as the predetermined piece of informationamong the pieces of information constituting the grouping informationappended to the specific image signal, the examination ID number shownin FIG. 4 may be selected. In such cases, in the step S14, all of theimage signals appended with the grouping information containing theselected examination ID number are read from the storage means 1. In thestep S15, the subsidiary information, which is appended to the specificimage signal, such as the grouping information appended to the specificimage signal and/or the image processing information giving specificsabout image processing having been performed on the specific imagesignal, is reflected upon all of the image signals having thus been readfrom the storage means 1. In such cases, all of pieces of informationconstituting the subsidiary information appended to the specific imagesignal may be reflected upon the image signals. Alternatively, in caseswhere the examination ID number shown in FIG. 4 is selected as thepredetermined piece of information among the pieces of informationconstituting the grouping information appended to the specific imagesignal, as the subsidiary information, only the pieces of informationwith respect to the examination, the series, and the image shown in FIG.4 may be reflected upon the image signals.

When the subsidiary information, such as the grouping information, thename of file, and/or the image processing information, is appended toimage signals, it may occur that different subsidiary information isappended by mistake to certain image signals, which are among the imagesignals belonging to the same group. In such cases, it is necessary foroperations to be performed for finding out the image signals appendedwith the incorrect subsidiary information and correcting the subsidiaryinformation appended to the image signals. However, it may occur thatincorrect subsidiary information is inputted at the time of thecorrection or necessary correction is not made perfectly. However, asfor the grouping information appended to image signals, if an incorrectpiece of information is given by mistake among the pieces of informationconstituting the grouping information, it will not occur that all of theother pieces of information constituting the grouping information areincorrect. Therefore, with the second embodiment of the image processingapparatus in accordance with the present invention, an image signalappended with correct grouping information is selected as the specificimage signal, and the subsidiary information appended to the specificimage signal is reflected upon all of the image signals, which areappended with the same piece of information as the predetermined pieceof information having been selected from the pieces of informationconstituting the grouping information appended to the specific imagesignal. Accordingly, error in correction or imperfect correction do notoccur. Also, consistency of the subsidiary information can be obtainedeasily with respect to the image signals appended with the same groupinginformation.

1. An image processing method, comprising the steps of: i) selecting aspecific image signal from a plurality of image signals, each of whichis appended with grouping information, wherein the image signalsappended with identical grouping information represent images associatedwith one another, ii) selecting at least one predetermined piece ofinformation from the pieces of information constituting the groupinginformation appended to the specific image signal, iii) selecting all ofimage signals, which are appended with the same piece of information asthe predetermined piece of information having been selected from thepieces of information constituting the grouping information appended tothe specific image signal, from the plurality of the image signals, andiv) performing processing on all of the image signals having thus beenselected, the processing being performed for reflecting subsidiaryinformation, which is appended to the specific image signal, on theimage signals, wherein said processing is a processing for altering thesubsidiary information appended to the image signals, and wherein saidgrouping information comprises information about a patient, anexamination, a series number within an identical examination number andan image.
 2. An image processing apparatus, comprising: i) means forselecting a specific image signal from a plurality of image signals,each of which is appended with grouping information, wherein the imagesignals appended with identical grouping information represent imagesassociated with one another, ii) means for selecting at least onepredetermined piece of information from the pieces of informationconstituting the grouping information appended to the specific imagesignal, iii) means for selecting all of image signals, which areappended with the same piece of information as the predetermined pieceof information having been selected from the pieces of informationconstituting the grouping information appended to the specific imagesignal, from the plurality of the image signals, and iv) means forperforming processing on all of the image signals having thus beenselected, the processing being performed for reflecting subsidiaryinformation, which is appended to the specific image signal, on theimage signals, wherein said processing is a processing for altering thesubsidiary information appended to the image signals, and wherein saidgrouping information comprises information about a patient, anexamination, a series number within an identical examination number andan image.
 3. A recording medium, on which a program for causing acomputer to execute an image processing method has been recorded andfrom which the computer is capable of reading the program, wherein theprogram comprises the procedures for: i) selecting a specific imagesignal from a plurality of image signals, each of which is appended withgrouping information, wherein the image signals appended with identicalgrouping information represent images associated with one another, ii)selecting at least one predetermined piece of information from thepieces of information constituting the grouping information appended tothe specific image signal, iii) selecting all of image signals, whichare appended with the same piece of information as the predeterminedpiece of information having been selected from the pieces of informationconstituting the grouping information appended to the specific imagesignal, from the plurality of the image signals, and iv) performingprocessing on all of the image signals having thus been selected, theprocessing being performed for reflecting subsidiary information, whichis appended to the specific image signal, on the image signals, whereinsaid processing is a processing for altering the subsidiary informationappended to the image signals, and wherein said grouping informationcomprises information about a patient, an examination, a series numberwithin an identical examination number and an image.
 4. The imageprocessing method according to claim 1, wherein said processing isprocessing for altering the subsidiary information appended to each ofimage signals which are appended with the same grouping information asthe grouping information appended to the specific image signal so thatthe subsidiary information appended to each of the image signals becomesthe same as the subsidiary information appended to the specific imagesignal.
 5. The image processing apparatus according to claim 2, whereinsaid processing is processing for altering the subsidiary informationappended to each of image signals which are appended with the samegrouping information as the grouping information appended to thespecific image signal so that the subsidiary information appended toeach of the image signals becomes the same as the subsidiary informationappended to the specific image signal.
 6. The recording medium accordingto claim 3, wherein said processing is processing for altering thesubsidiary information appended to each of image signals which areappended with the same grouping information as the grouping informationappended to the specific image signal so that the subsidiary informationappended to each of the image signals becomes the same as the subsidiaryinformation appended to the specific image signal.